This invention relates to a chessboard game where participants compete in a contest of skill using contest elements which are manipulated according to rules on a patterned playing surface composed of a plurality of playing spaces. More particularly, each group of several contest elements are initially equal in number and equivalent in power to all other groups in the contest. The contest normally ends when one player captures and or traps the principal elements of the other player or players.
The history of chess probably began in India around the sixth century A.D. with a game named Chaturanga which means "four-armed", referring to the four branches of the Indian army: infantry, cavalry, elephants, and chariots. Some of today's chess pieces have evolved from these four branches; infantry--pawns, cavalry--knights, elephants--rooks, and chariots--bishops.
Modern chess is largely defined by Medieval history, For example, the pawn is representative of the medieval pikeman, or foot soldier, who carried a spear and a shield. Because of the shield, the pikeman struck out to either side of it during battle. So the pawn in chess captures not straight ahead, but diagonally to either side of the shield. The aggressive charge of the lance wielding knight is reflected in a game piece of great agility and power, having the ability to jump like a horse over other game pieces and to hold enemies at bay in a way no other piece can. Rooks represent the castle or home and bishops represent the church; these pieces work together in a manner symbolizing the strength of the bond of church and home. The queen, the only female piece, combines the movements of the rook and bishop (home and church) and is the most powerful piece in the game. The importance and austeriety of the king is reflected in a piece that usually does not participate directly in the battle but stands taller than all of his army, and is the focus of the principal objective of the game, namely the checkmate.
History and tradition remain an integral part of the game of chess and have limited the alterations to chess during recent centuries. Therefore adaptations of the game which depart from the history and traditions of chess have not been well received by the established chess community. This is particularly true with chess variations that introduce additional armies and additional players into the game. Therefore, in designing a multi-army chess game, perhaps the most difficult task is to maintain the integrity of the original historical basis of chess, its game objectives and nature of play, while introducing additional armies and players.